To Be the Best ME I Can Be

Day Two, or Surrealism in Action

I’m kind of having a bit of luck with getting back into the habit of blogging regularly, because I’ve been stuck at home for two days now. Consequently, I have lots more time to write since I’m not, you know, working. On the down side, however – I’VE BEEN STUCK AT HOME FOR TWO DAYS NOW!

Let me be clear: I love being at home. I’d love nothing more than to be at home full time every day. However, I do not like being stuck at home. I’d like to be able to leave at will – but of course, if I could, then I’d be at work. But it just keeps snowing and snowing, the roads are crap, and of course schools are closed. So here I am.

It’s not so bad, really. I’ve had time to do my WiiFit body test and yoga (of course, I was up at 5 a.m. again, so I had that out of the way before it was even time to get up, but still) and to read some blogs, and to do a little cleaning. One problem I have re-discovered, though, is food.

When I’m at home all day, structure tends to go right out the window. I suppose it’s because I’m out of my normal routine, so it feels like a free day, as though I don’t have to worry about what or when I eat. Normally, that throws me way off schedule and off-plan, but I’m fighting really hard to stay on both today. I’m just getting back into good habits and it’s critical that I not sabotage them now, especially as I am feeling really good about how I’ve been doing. Also, my arbitrary six-month goal deadline helps me to feel a sense of urgency that keeps me a little more focused. So I’m really trying hard – but I’d forgotten how difficult it is. It doesn’t help that there’s more “bad food” in the house than usual right now, because E.D. is still recovering from wisdom-teeth removal and I stocked up on stuff she can and will eat. Mostly, that equals crap, unfortunately. So far I’m doing all right at leaving it all alone, but again, I’d forgotten how hard it was.

So I know that I’ll need to really plan carefully and be prepared for this, when I’m at home full-time. I’ll need to be prepared for the difficulty and the temptation; be very mindful and aware that a change in routine does not cancel out the need for healthy habits.

Yesterday went really well, and I was extremely pleased. I stayed on plan with food. I did a treadmill workout during the Biggest Loser. I stayed at low speed – 3.0 for most of it – and almost zero incline, and I only did 30 minutes. It isn’t much, compared to what I used to do, but right now I’m trying to establish my limitations. I didn’t have any joint pain at that level – I did have some back pain, but it was minor. I was careful to stretch and took a hot bath afterward, both of which have been critical in the past for avoiding excessive soreness and inflammation. And today I felt fine. Now, the last time I had a real problem was at 3.5, with a little more incline, and I think I went for about 45 minutes. So I’m going to work my way up and see where the cutoff is. I did notice that at 3.0, I noticed some stiffness in my hip joints, so I suspect my upper limit for speed is going to be fairly close – at least, until I’m back on the medication. I am also hoping that regular yoga is going to give me a better range of motion in my hips, so maybe I won’t have that problem.

It’s going to be a long process and I’ll probably be constantly making adjustments for the rest of my life. But at least I’m working toward it. I feel good about having done both the WiiFit yoga and the treadmill, and I feel great about my nutrition. I did great with water as well, so all in all, it was pretty much a perfect gold star day. I’m hoping today will be another; it’s gotten off to a good start.

One of my dilemmas has always been whether or not to get up early to exercise. On the one hand, I need the exercise time and love starting off my day already having worked out. On the other hand, I am so chronically sleep-deprived that I eventually end up doing more damage to my health through sleep loss than I make up through the exercise. So my plan is this: if I’m up anyway, as I was yesterday and today, then I’ll go down and work out. If I’m not, then I don’t worry about it, I’ll do my evening workout as planned. At the rate I’ve been going lately, that will mean I’m doing a morning workout at least two weekdays if not more, which is not a bad percentage, but I won’t lose any more sleep than I already am.

So that’s the plan, and so far, so good. And now it’s time for lunch, which I need to carefully orchestrate. Peace…out.

Oh, and as an afterthought – the Biggest Loser? Not many thoughts on it; too early to really tell much about it. Except that I was disgusted by the total lack of class in the opening sequence, particularly the part where they superimposed the words “Have you got the guts?” over a picture of one contestant’s belly. I was actually offended, and that’s not that easy to do. I’m not sure why; it just seemed crass, insensitive, sensationalist, and without any legitimate purpose. I know a lot of people believe that pretty much sums up the show in general, but I do believe in what they’re doing. I just wish they wouldn’t lapse into such idiocy at times while they’re doing it. Oh, and I love the little Orange team mama from Ardmore, Oklahoma (been there, and have family there, BTW). She’s a firecracker! Can’t wait to watch her in action. She and Jillian make a great team, I think.